Lecture No. 0262
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0262
Lamrim Volume 1: Pg 36 L5
Tape No | 4B 20:13 ~ 21:58
Date: (2020-10-01 ~ 2020-10-04)
Topic: Purifying one’s mind is the requisite for entering the Buddha Dharma
Before we begin our discussion, everyone, please adjust your motivation. We come to study the Buddha Dharma, not for the sake of personal liberation or attaining self-benefit; it is not just for the sake of benefitting self. It is with the aspiration for all motherly beings in the Dharma realms and in all the world systems to achieve the benefit of eliminating suffering and attaining happiness. Therefore, we must attain Buddhahood. If we desire to obtain the fruition of being free from all suffering and obtain all good qualities, we must know the cause of such fruition, and only by practicing in accordance with such causes are we able to attain the desired effects. So, what is the cause of omniscience? It is to gain scriptural knowledge by following virtuous teachers’ guidance. So now we need to shape our motivation to align with the Mahayana aspiration. [00:42]
Very well! Today, we will continue listening [to the recording of the Master’s commentary].
Without this understanding, studying the Buddha Dharma will not bring you any benefit; on the contrary, it will bring you harm. Why? This is because when you have not studied Buddha Dharma, your standard is still at worldly level, which is contaminated and perfunctory; everyone is about the same. Now that you have studied the Buddha Dharma, you understand Buddha Dharma, the standard of Buddha Dharma is very high; it is at Buddha’s level! Then with this high standard, instead of using it for self-purification or for introspection, you apply it on other people. This is a demon-revealing mirror – when you look at it, whoa, everyone out there appears to be a demon or a goblin! Isn’t it simple? There is only one [Shakyamuni] Buddha in all the world systems, and Buddha had entered into the state of parinirvana. Since Buddha had entered the state of parinirvana, all those who are born in this world now, none is perfect. Hence, everybody is either a demon or a goblin, except for one; who is that person? Me. Originally, the Buddha Dharma was meant to purify the self; it’s for introspection. However, unfortunately, you misapplied it. [Why?] Because you view all others as demons or goblins, and you reproached others. This is disastrous, you descend to Hell, debate! So, the degenerate time is known as an era of “firm dissension”. This is what we should know. [01:47]
Thus, regarding the point mentioned above, we understand that learning the Buddha Dharma is to purify ourselves. Others are Buddha or Bodhisattva. And Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest themselves depending on various arising conditions … We often use Mount Putuo [Sanskrit: Potala, an island southwest of Shanghai as an example]. There are people from all walks of life there. Among them are the manifestations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who tell us not to judge anyone impetuously! This is how Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest themselves. Manifested in this manner due to their compassion. After realizing this, we will naturally refrain from judging others and will instead focus on how to better ourselves. If we cannot let go of our thoughts, we should never say, “Well, I am Mahayana. Hinayana practitioners care only about renouncing samsara!” Such a viewpoint is wrong, and we must recognize this. We must develop disenchantment, then to cultivate the spirit of enlightenment, and then continuously advance on the path. [02:34]
Very well! We just listened to the recording once; I am wondering if you have previewed the discourse ahead of time. If I ask you questions, will you be able to answer my questions immediately? The first question, Master said: “Without this understanding”, may I ask what does “this” in “without this understanding” refer to? It should be [what we have covered] in the previous discourse, right? The word “this” in “without this understanding” means that after we have an accurate understanding, we will apply this understanding to examine, know ourselves and strive to advance. Then, what is the condition of “without this understanding”? It means judging others; if so, then we are doing it wrong. [03:20]
Let me ask you another question: “without this understanding,” we have already answered what “this” refers to earlier; then, what are the faults of not understanding this? “Studying the Buddha Dharma will not bring you any benefit; on the contrary, it will bring you harm.” Why will it bring us harm? Why is it that if we don’t understand that studying the Buddha Dharma is for introspection, then our study of the teaching would bring us no advantage but harm? Why? It’s below [we can find the answer in Master’s commentary], right? It states that before we study Buddha Dharma, there are worldly standards. However, after studying the Buddha Dharma, we realize that the standards of Buddha Dharma were very high. How high is it? It is the standards of the Buddha. Thus, if we don’t apply these standards on ourselves but to others, then we will see everyone else in the world as a demon or a goblin! [04:12]
Let me ask a question: Buddha Dharma is the standard of Buddha, did Buddha view the world with his standards? If Buddha did not view us with his standards, why is it that Buddha exhorted us to cultivate renunciation, Bodhicitta, and attain the wisdom of emptiness? Because Buddha’s standards of eliminating suffering and attaining happiness were totally the opposite of the mundane world. The mundane world is based on ignorance, and we have to transform this ignorance to wisdom. After Buddha attained the ultimate truth, he gave so many teachings for 49 years. It is to see the world through his teachings; then, let us distinguish the difference between these two standards – what is the true cause of suffering, and what is the true cause of happiness. It was Buddha’s wish that we could have this realization. Then, why is it that after we have learned the standards of Buddhas, it turns into a demon-revealing mirror? What is going on? [05:02]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0262】
讲次 | 0262 (2020-10-01 ~ 2020-10-04)
标题 | “自净其意”是佛法的入门要求（一）
《广论》段落 | P3-L5 获得功德事理分二……如理修行获证功德事理。 今初
音档 | 4B 20:13 ~ 21:58
手抄页/行 | 第1册 P124-L1 ~ P124-LL1 ( 2016 南普陀版：P124-L1 ~ P125-L1 )
手抄段落 | 你如果不了解这个……然后呢再继续下去。
（更新日期: 2023年12月12日）
00:00
在开始研讨之前，大家调整一下自己的动机：不仅仅是为了自己，要为了利益尽法界、遍虚空界的一切如母有情都能够成办离苦得乐的利益，所以我们必须去希求佛果。如果想要得到所有的痛苦都远离、所有的功德都圆具的那样一个果位，我们必须知道那样的果位是有因的，要循因而修才能够成就。那么如何是一切遍智的因呢？就是要跟随善知识听闻教法。所以我们要调整自己的动机，成为向往大乘的动机。00:42
好！今天我们接着听。
你如果不了解这个，修学佛法了以后得不到好处，反而有害处。为什么呀？因为你没有修学佛法，你这标准是世间的标准，世间的标准嘛大家本来是杂染的，马马虎虎也就算了，彼此彼此。现在你修学了佛法，了解了佛法，佛法的标准高得很欸，它是佛的标准欸！然后你拿这个高的标准，拿得来不自己净化自己，然后就拿着来看别人，这是个照妖镜，一看哪！嗨，天底下所有的人是妖魔鬼怪！这不是很简单吗？因为这个所有的大千世界只有一个是佛，佛也已经涅槃了；既然佛涅槃了，现在生在世界上面，当然没有一个圆满的，所以每一个都是妖魔鬼怪。只有一个人没照到，谁呀？我。本来要这个东西净化你自己，照你的，你不幸照错了。因为你看见别人都是妖魔鬼怪，你责备别人哪，结果害了，自己下地狱了，诤论！所以末法的时期叫斗诤坚固，这点我们要了解的。01:47
所以刚才这个道理，是了解了是净化自己的，别人都是佛菩萨。所以这个佛菩萨都用种种不同的境界──我们常常拿普陀山，普陀山哪，哎呀，各式各样的人都有的，的的确确有佛菩萨就在示现，他告诉我们哪，你不要随便看别人喏！佛菩萨就示现这种量，他慈悲所以示现这个量。你了解了这一点哪，我们自然不管别人，管自己。所以如果说我们自己心里面放不下，千万不要说：“喔唷，我这个是大乘，小乘才管出离喔！”这个错误的，那我们要认得。一定要自己有了厌离心，然后进一步策发菩提心，然后呢再继续下去。02:34
好！这样听一遍，不知道你们预习了没？我提问题你们会不会迅速地都能够答出来？第一个问题，师父说：“你如果不了解这个”，请问“你如果不了解这个”的“这个”指什么？应该是前一讲的，对吧？不了解“这个”──我们有了正确的认识，然后拿这个认识自己来认识自己，努力地爬上去。那么“不了解”的状态是什么呢？就是看别人，看别人的话就错了。03:20
再问大家一个问题：“不了解这个”，我们刚才已经都回答“这个”是指什么，但是如果不了解这个有什么过患呢？“得不到好处，反而有害处。”原因是什么呢？为什么如果我们不了解佛法是衡量自己的，修学佛法之后得不到好处，反而会有害处呢？为什么？说没有学习佛法之前，世间的标准就这样了，但是了解了佛法之后，佛法的标准高得很。有多高呀？它是佛的标准。如果拿这个标准不看自己，来看别人的话，那天底下就都看成妖魔鬼怪了！04:12
问大家一个问题：佛法是佛的标准，佛陀有没有用佛陀的标准看世间？如果佛陀不拿佛陀的标准看世间的话，为什么要劝大家修习出离心、菩提心、空性呢？因为跟世间人离苦得乐之道完全是反的，世间的都是无明，我们就要翻无明为智慧。佛陀证悟了真理之后，四十九年说这么多法，都是把他讲的法来看这个世间，然后让我们抉择出这两者的差别──什么是真正的苦因、什么是真正的乐因。一直希望我们了解。那么为什么我们学了佛陀这个标准之后，一看别人就变成照妖镜了？这是怎么回事呢？05:02